The Compost King of Hilo UrbFarm
By Brittany P. Anderson As the saying goes, “One man’s trash is another man’s treasure,” and this couldn’t be more true for Michael Pierron, founder of Hilo UrbFarm, as he spins organic waste into garden gold. The Hilo UrbFarm, founded…
Island Treasures: Sugai Products, Inc.
What’s in a name? You might not know until you’ve tried award-winning 100% estate grown Kona coffee grown by the Sugai Family on their Hōlualoa farm for three generations. It all began in the 1890ʻs when Grandma Omotoʻs parents emigrated…
Talk Story with an Advertiser: Employment Experts
Need help with your business or looking for a job? Employment Experts is a licensed full service payroll and staffing agency that offers their clients complete payroll services, along with temporary and permanent staffing. They’re able to offer their candidates…
The Ala Kahakai Trail: A Walk through History into the Future
By Jan Wizinowich Hawaiʽi Island’s history can be found along its coastal and mauka (mountain side) to makai (ocean side) trails, a network imprinted by the hands and feet of those who came before. The coastal ala loa trail (Hawaiian…
Ka Puana – Proverb 119
Celebrating a Long Time Advertiser: The UPS Store of Kamuela
The friendly staff at The UPS Store in Kamuela is eager to help answer any questions you have as well as help provide the services you need. You can rely on The UPS Store for all your packing, shipping (UPS,…
Dreams Do Come True: The Musical Journey of Kris Fuchigami
By Denise Laitinen Kris Fuchigami is a study in perseverance. After picking up the ‘ukulele at age 13, the Hawai‘i Island native readily admits he dropped out of band class in school because he struggled with reading music at the…
The Legacy: Pu‘uhonua o Hōnaunau National Historical Park – Celebrating 57 Years
By Lara Hughes Since opening in 1961, Pu‘uhonua o Hōnaunau, a place of refuge, has been a cultural beacon for residents and visitors alike. Kawailehua Domingo, a descendant of South Kona and currently the park’s interpretive supervisor, is the third…
Featured Artists: Trina Jezik & Don Slocum
Featured Cover Artist: Trina Jezik Trina and her husband, Rhys, moved to Hawai‘i Island in 2015 from British Columbia, Canada. “From one beautiful place to another,” says Trina. She had been to Hawai‘i 13 years before and dreamed of a…
Local Foods: A Sandwich for the Season
By Brittany P. Anderson This time of year when it is still spring, yet starts to feel like summer, is one of my favorite seasons on Hawai‘i Island. The weather is a bit unpredictable–warm, sunny summer days are on the…
Talk Story with an Advertiser: Keary’s Massage
Keary Adamson has been providing massage services full-time in Hilo since 2007, when he moved to the island. He attended a Hawai‘i massage school to become licensed here, after originally obtaining his license in St. George, Utah in the early…
Manta Pacific Research Foundation: Conserving and Protecting the Ballerinas of the Ocean
By Karen Rose ”The world’s finest wilderness lies beneath the waves,” says marine life artist Wyland. Keller Laros, president of the Manta Pacific Research Foundation (MPRF), agrees. Keller and his wife Wendy founded MPRF in 2002 out of their passion…
Ka‘ū Coffee Festival: Celebrating a Crop that Brought Hope and Success
By Fern Gavelek Ten years ago, a group of folks were sitting on the lānai (porch) gazing out at healthy rows of Ka‘ū coffee trees laden with cherries. Beaming with pride and optimistic for the future, the neighboring Ka‘ū coffee…
Mālama Moana: Take Care of the Ocean that Takes Care of You
By Rachel Laderman Sometimes through ignorance, we smother our beaches, reefs, and wildlife with so much affection and attention that they are left gasping to recover. At Kahalu‘u Bay in Kailua-Kona, the community saw this happening. Beautiful Kahalu‘u Bay was…
Hilo Kūpuna Share Hula with Aloha
By Karen Valentine Long before the program is set to begin, Clem and Leilani Malani, both in their 90s, are sitting in their car, waiting in anticipation. They are dressed in their finest Hawaiian aloha wear with color-coordinated red and…
Hawai’i Island’s Famous “Painted Church”
By Denise Laitinen An incredible example of American folk art, St. Benedict Catholic Church in Captain Cook is one of the most well-known and colorful churches on Hawai‘i Island. Tucked into the slopes of Mauna Loa among coffee farms above…
William McKnight: Ambivalent Artist, Passionate Sculptor
By Paula Thomas William McKnight has cultivated a deep relationship with stone. From the lengths he may go to get a rock from the ocean, a quarry, or on a hillside, to the passion that engulfs him when his creative…
Managing with Aloha: Prosper with Ha‘aha‘a
“Humility. Be humble, be modest. Open your thoughts.” Thirteenth in Series Two on Managing with Aloha By Rosa Say One of the things I’m proudest of with the Managing with Aloha philosophy is that it has evolved. It has shifted…
Ka Wehena: Miloli’i
Na Kumu Keala Ching Iho mai ka nani o Miloli‘i I ke alo, aloha o ke Akua Lei aloha o ke Akua Lei Kamaha‘o i ka poli Ho‘opūloa, Miloli‘i a i Honomālino I ka palena aloha kō Kona Hema Lei…
The Alonzo Spirit Band: Music for the Soul
By Ma‘ata Tukuafu It was in 2007 when Alan “Alonzo” Rosen began hearing voices in his head; not crazy voices, but rather, he was hearing notes, lyrics, melodies, and completed songs. After meditation or sometimes in dreams, Alan would hear…
Mahalo, Hawai‘i Sail
Hōkūle‘a and her crew arrived in Kailua-Kona on March 26, 2018 to begin their visit to Hawai‘i Island as part of the Mahalo, Hawai‘i Sail. Next, Hōkūle‘a and crew traversed the island and arrived in Hilo on April 2 to…
Hale o Ho‘oponopono: Perpetuating the Cultural Legacy of Hōnaunau
By Gayle Kaleilehua Greco Driving down the single lane road towards the Hōnaunau boat ramp, there is a quietness that envelops you, a glimpse of the ocean, and a curiosity of what happened on this land in the early days…
Hāmākua Harvest: Bridging Community and Agriculture
By Britni Schock Hāmākua Harvest’s mission is to promote and advance Hāmākua agriculture by supporting local farmers, enriching the region’s social fabric, and promoting healthy rural lifestyles for the benefit of Hāmākua’s communities, economy, and environment. Located just off Māmalahoa…